There are several factors associated with a person’s risk of a heart attack. This list includes lifestyle habits and family history.
A large study conducted in Sweden and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2014 found that five specific lifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise and quitting smoking, can reduce the risk of a heart attack by a combined 80 percent.
Researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute wanted to discover what percentage of certain healthy habits, both individually and as a group, helped these people reduce their risk of heart attack.
How was the study conducted?
For the study, men aged 45 to 79 were enrolled in a study conducted in 1997. All were asked about daily activities, such as diet and information about their weight, family history of cardiovascular disease, and education.
Over an 11-year period, 20,721 men with no history of heart disease, diabetes or cancer were closely monitored.
The team found that five lifestyle habits contributed to heart attack prevention. Men who followed all five habits had the lowest risk, or an 80 percent reduction.
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